Only Words Bleed
by Dark Wings Of Imagination
Summary: ""She can't die, Phil. She just can't" she whispered after some time of simply being held by him, loud enough just for him to hear, in his shirt. His arms wrapped tighter around her, he hated seeing her like that. He knew just how much Skye meant to May. [...] "She won't" he replied, trying to reassure both of them before dropping a kiss on her head. He just hoped he was right"
1. Chapter 1

**Two – Shot: Only Words Bleed**

Author: Dark Wings Of Imagination

Genre: Drama/Hurt-Comfort/Family

Rating: K+

Summary: ""She can't die, Phil. She just can't" she whispered after some time of simply being held by him, loud enough just for him to hear, in his shirt.

His arms wrapped tighter around her, he hated seeing her like that. He knew just how much Skye meant to May. He could see how much she loved the girl – most times he concludes that it's probably that no one loves that girl more than the broken woman in his arms.

"She won't" he replied, trying to reassure both of them before dropping a kiss on her head. He just hoped he was right."

 _A\N: Hey there guys! So, this is my first AoS fanfiction. It was written under the influence of many songs, but it was inspired by 'If I Die Young' by The Band Perry, however the title comes from Ed Sheeran's 'Photograph'. I apologize in advance for any mistakes, and for having Skye getting shot again – I still don't know my way around inhuman so I went with what I felt it was right for me, hope it's okay with you. I hope you all like it._

 _P.S: Next chapter should be up next Sunday._

Not beta-ed, all mistakes are mine.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

" _She's dead. Skye's dead" the words echoed inside her head as she stared at the body inside the hardwood coffin. She was surrounded by daisies, and in her little white dress she looked so peaceful - and for a moment Melinda let herself believe the younger woman was simply sleeping, because as hard as she tried she could not accept the fact that her protégé was dead. She couldn't. She wouldn't. Accepting Skye's death was accepting the fact that she failed once again, that because she was there the girl who meant the world to her – the daughter she never allowed herself to have – died._

 _And even if the team and Phil kept telling her it wasn't her fault, she knew it was. She was her SO,_ damn it _, she was supposed to protect Skye not the other way around. It was not supposed to go as it happened. And once again May lost herself in the memories of the day that became her new Bahrain._

 _It was an easy mission: get in, free the new inhuman Hydra captured, take him with them and get the hell out of there._

 _And it all went as planned until Ward's men found them. They were outnumbered, of course - even if the whole team had been there they would still be – and so May and Skye took upon themselves to fight the enemy's soldiers while Fitz – who had been there to help access the systems – ran to the jet with the young boy they rescued._

 _Shots fired. Punches threw. Blood on their faces – from some mild injuries they had – and hands – literally and figuratively. They were almost out of there when Ward finally appeared, and catching her off guard he entrapped May in his arms. Gun aimed at her head._

" _Hello, May" he greeted, voice sickly sweet as she tried to get out of his hold._

" _Let me go" she gritted._

" _Oh, no, I can't. Not when I have planned so many fun things for me to do with you" he said, a grin on his face as he remembered the tortures he had in store for her._

" _What do you want, Ward?" she spat angrily, in between breaths, as he tighten the arm around her neck._

" _Closure. You made me kill Kara, and now I'll make you suffer" he said before driving her into the nearest wall, hitting her head against it._

" _MAY!" Skye – who as soon as she realized the older agent was neither beside or behind her turned around - screamed once she saw her SO on the floor and ran to her aid, but before she could get to her Ward got in the way._

" _Stay out of this, Skye" he warned as he stood between her and Melinda._

" _Get out of my way, Ward" she said coldly glaring at him in a way that reminded him very much of the woman he wanted to kill._

" _I don't want to hurt you" he told her, and she believed him, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to hurt him if needed – she did once, she'll do again._

" _Then let May go" she replied._

" _That I can't do" he said._

 _Skye reached for her gun but before she could get a hold of it Ward aimed his at her._

" _Don't make me do this, Skye. I already killed a woman I cared about because of her, I don't want the same to happen to you"_

" _Let her go, Ward" she pleaded once more._

" _Kara is dead because of her. I won't let her walk out of here" he said as he still pointed the gun at her._

" _Then you'll have to deal with me" she said as she kicked her powers into action making the entire building shake._

" _Stop it, Skye" Ward asked._

" _Give me May, and I'll stop" she tried negotiating, it didn't work though as Ward remained on the same spot._

 _With a flick of her hand she sent him and the gun flying and rushed to May, who thankfully was starting to wake due to younger agent's powers._

 _After quickly inspecting the older woman for more serious injuries and receiving several 'I'm fine', Skye helped Melinda to her feet, and seeing how unsteadily the other woman was as she tried to stand the young inhuman placed her SO's right arm over her shoulder and began to carry them out of there._

 _Focused on getting them out and more importantly getting May medical assistance Skye failed to listen Ward getting up from where he landed, but the sound of him pulling the trigger felt like there were dynamites exploding in her head, and before she could think of anything else, she spun May around placing the other woman in front of her as she used herself to shield the woman from the bullets that had her name all over them._

 _When Melinda realized what her protégé had done was already too late. The girl fell to the ground blood coming out of her wounds and some spilling from her mouth, and before she could process anything else she went for Skye's gun and didn't think twice when she pulled the trigger and put a bullet in Ward's head._

" _Agent down. I repeat Agent down, anyone copy that" she said into her com but apparently it had been damaged. "Damn it!" she cursed._

 _As she looked down at the girl in her arms she had a hard time trying to suppress her tears – it was not the time for her to break down._

" _C'mon Skye, you can't die. You just can't, ok?" she said as she tried to find a way to stop the bleeding, but with more than one wound there wasn't much she could do. And just when she was giving up on hope she heard static – and for a moment there she thought she had gone mad already – and she thanked whoever was listening Fitz had insisted Skye took a walkie-talkie with her._

 _Pressing the button May was sure she had never been so happy hearing the young engineer's voice "Skye, where are you two? We have to leave"_

" _Ward shot Skye, we need to get her to a hospital soon" May said as she tightened her hold on the girl._

" _Oh my god! Okay, we're going down there to help you. Just hold in there May" Fitz said and she could hear him move around nervously as he rushed to get to them._

" _They're coming, Skye. You're going to be okay." Melinda said as she turned her attention back to the other agent. "Please, Skye, I can't lose you" she pleaded, tears spilling from her eyes at their own accord._

 _After what it felt like an eternity Fitz and the younger boy they rescued finally reached them, with the uttermost care in the world the boy who conveniently had super strength lifted Skye in his arms and carried her to the jet._

" _You're okay?" Leo asked as he helped Melinda up._

" _I'll be as soon as we get Skye some help" she answered "Find the nearest hospital, give me the coordinates and see what you can do to help her" she demanded just as they set foot inside the plane._

 _Fitz did as he was told, and soon they were on their way to the hospital he had found on line. However when they finally got there it was too late._

 _She had lost too much blood and one of the bullets had hit an artery, there was nothing they could have done._

 _And that was what led her to be standing in a cemetery, barely forty-eight hours later, as she watched the girl she loved so much be buried. She lost whatever was left of herself that day._

 _-/-_

Melinda awoke gasping for air, her hands fisting around her sheets, her hair sticking to the sweat on her face. It all had felt so real.

Ever since she left The Playground she regretted not having talked things through with Skye, she knew the younger woman didn't really mean to hurt her, and she wanted to tell her she knew it – and apologize for everything she's done as well - but she thought that perhaps the talking could wait 'til she was back. It wasn't like the girl would go anywhere else, right?

She had been ignoring the nagging feeling for the whole two weeks she'd been away but that nightmare it had set off something within her and whatever it was she didn't like it not even a bit.

Driven by her emotions she grabbed her phone intending to call Skye to check on her – if only to calm herself – when she saw what time it was.

"4:03 a.m. Great" she mumbled grumpily, knowing she couldn't call at the moment, after all she was in the same time zone they were – assuming of course they were at the base – and wake up the young girl.

Fighting the urge to call despite the early hour – she had a feeling Skye was taking advantage of her being away so she could sleep in – she got up and went on with her morning routine knowing that for her there was no going back to sleep.

For the next seven hours or so May tried finding ways to keep herself entertained and not to call straight away.

"Everything's all right. Skye's fine. Nothing happened" she repeated those words like a mantra and just when she was beginning to actually believe them her phone ringed and immediately she felt her pulse quicken at the sight of Coulson's name on her screen.

"Phil" she greeted trying not to sound as apprehensive as she felt.

"May. Skye, she's…" he trailed off and it just made Melinda even more nervous and desperate.

"She's what, Phil? Please tell me she's alive" she said, dread filling ever cell in her body.

"She is, but barely. Perhaps you should come" he elaborated and the tone in his voice sent her the exact message she had tried all morning not let go into her head: she was going to lose her little girl.

"I'm on my way" she said as she moved around throwing whatever she deemed necessary in her duffel bag and before she knew it she was out of her hotel room.

-/-

The one hour and half plane ride was horribly agonizing but worse than that was the sight of Phil's haunted expression as she awaited her in the airport. She couldn't help herself from running into his arms when she finally saw him. She knew he was confused at the gesture but he didn't mention. Judging by the day's events he needed of her just as much as she needed him.

They walked hand in hand to the car – both too caught up on their worries to actually care about what the gesture could mean in their quite complex friendship. Silence reigning over them until they were inside it.

"Please, tell me I'm not too late" she asked after buckling up and he started the car.

"You're not. The doctors said her surgery was going to be long" he said eyes on the road, unable to look at her at the moment.

"How bad is it?" she asked and couldn't disguise the dread she felt.

"Very. We were trying to bring in an inhuman girl, she's sixteen, she has the power to move objects, and everything was going fine until the girl's brother appeared, he is older than her, about Skye's age, he thought we were going to hurt her and tried attacking us, he went for me first since I was the one holding his sister's hand, but Skye got in the way and he ended up getting her" Phil explained and she could tell he was trying very hard not to let his emotions get the best of him.

"He was inhuman?" she asked, she hated making him talking about it, but she needed to know just what she would be dealing with when she went to kill the bastard who put the lives of the people she loved in danger.

Phil nodded before answering "Super-fast. He had a gun. He shot her on her right side"

She felt her insides turn uncomfortably at the horrible resemblance between what happened to them and what happened in her nightmare. He looked so devastated, and she understood it, Skye had taken the bullet for him and because of that she was in a hospital bed getting cut open so the doctors could try and fix her, she would feel the same if it had been her.

Reaching out she took his hand in hers and laced their fingers together in attempt of comfort.

Sooner than she thought and longer than what would have liked they reached the hospital Skye was in – Jemma insisted she was taken to a hospital instead of The Playground, it was faster and they had the right resources and specialists needed in that case.

Once in the waiting room Phil waited for Melinda to greet the rest of the team – which actually meant seeing May get more hugs than he ever thought he'd see, but he knew that with all that was happening they just needed to assure themselves of each other's presence – before turning to them asking if there were any updates on Skye.

"I talked to a nurse, Sir, and she said we should be looking into a little more than just a couple of hours. Apparently the bullet damaged extremely sensible areas and they're doing everything they can to solve it, but it will take time" Jemma explained tears prickling at her eyes as she felt her heart clench at having her friends in a situation like this for a second time.

Phil breathed in deeply before turning to her once more, "Okay, thank you, Jemma. Why don't you guys go to the cafeteria and find something to eat or drink?"

Protests of 'I'm no hungry' and 'I'm fine' were said before Coulson spoke again, "It was not a suggestion, agents"

Soon enough the rest of the team scurried away and he and May were left alone. He had seen the horror in face as listened to Jemma's words, she needed a moment to process everything, and therefore he ordered the team to go.

No long after they were out of sight she buried herself in his arms, silent tears making their way down her face and staining his shirt.

"She can't die, Phil. She just can't" she whispered after some time of simply being held by him, loud enough just for him to hear, in his shirt.

His arms wrapped tighter around her, he hated seeing her like that. He knew just how much Skye meant to May. He could see how much she loved the girl – most times he concludes that it's probably that no one loves that girl more than the broken woman in his arms.

"She won't" he replied, trying to reassure both of them before dropping a kiss on her head. He just hoped he was right.

* * *

Thanks for reading it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey there!**

 **First of all I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, favorited and put this story under their alerts, it really means a lot.**

 **Secondly, I was able to meet the deadline I set for myself (yay!) and here it is the second and last chapter of this story, I hope all of you like it, reviews are very much appreciated, and hope to see you around.**

 **Also, I understand May must be kind of OOC here, but I really wanted her to be a bit more vulnerable, so sorry, not so sorry ;)**

 **Not beta-ed, all mistakes are mine.**

 **Xxxxx...**

 **Dark Wings...**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

It was only many hours later that Skye was finally out of surgery, very much alive – which allowed the team room to breathe properly for the first time that day - however, that did not mean she was completely out of danger. The bullet had almost went up to one of her lungs, missing it only a few inches, and hitting a vein – which was why it took them so long, and even more so after she flat lined.

They moved her to a cubicle in ICU where she was to be kept for at least the next forty-eight hours; they wanted to monitor her so they were sure there wasn't anything else that could cause any more damage to her.

"Can we see her?" Fitz asked the doctor after he finished explaining the girl's condition.

"Right now she's still sleeping, but if you wish to see her, you can. However I can only allow two people to go in, one at a time." The doctor explained and turned to leave, promising that as soon as they had any updates on her state he would send someone to tell them.

"So, who will go first?" a nurse asked as she looked at them.

The team was sure that Phil would be the one to speak up and go, they were more than surprised, though, at the quiet and broken voice, that most definitely didn't belong to their Director, they heard in response.

"I'll go" May said before following the nurse to where Skye was.

She was sure she had confused her team – except for Phil who knew very well what she was feeling or at least what she let him see – enough to leave them speechless as she went to see Skye.

As she walked down the corridors she almost believed them to be endless, seeing how much time it was taking them to reach the cubicle the hacker was, or perhaps, which was the reality of it, she was just really anxious – something she hadn't felt in quite some time.

After what it felt like an eternity the nurse finally turned in a door to her right and as she entered it May felt her heart tighten at the sight of the young, vibrant and cheerful agent looking so small and pale in that hospital bed.

Slowly approaching the bed, Melinda could barely hold in the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes, and once she took the woman's hand in hers, careful not to dislocate the IV on it, she stopped fighting the will to cry, letting the salty drops fall free down her face.

"I'm sorry, Skye" she said quietly, even though she knew the girl could not hear her, but in need of saying so. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you and Coulson. I'm sorry I wasn't there to stop this from happening"

"I should've been there. I should have" she added, mentally kicking herself for asking for the stupid time off.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but you can't stay in here any longer", the nurse said.

Melinda nodded at the woman heart constricting at the idea of leaving Skye's side, however she knew she had to go, the others wanted to see their friend as well.

"I'm _so_ sorry" May apologized, once again, bringing the girl's hand to her lips and dropping a feather light kiss on it before turning away to leave.

-/-

"Hey, angel-eyes" Phil greeted as he entered Skye's cubicle; the sight of his usually vibrant hacker looking so small made his heart ache, even more so as he thought of May. The look on her face as she reached them, after having seen their protégé, was too much for him. He had never seen her that broken ever since Bahrain, and that scared the shit out of him.

"You need to come back to us, Skye. If not for you or me, at least do it for May" he pleaded as his hand went to caress the girl's hair "She's devastated. She loves you so much, little girl, and I know that sometimes you don't think so but she does, and I don't think there's no one else who loves you like she does. She has lost too much already, _we_ have lost too much already, and we can't bear to lose you, too"

His eyes were brimming with unshed tears as he hoped beyond hope that somehow she would listen to what he was saying and it would serve as incentive for her to fight back.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we have to go" the nurse said and he nodded.

"Please, Skye, come back to us" he said as he dropped a kiss on Skye's forehead before turning to leave. Praying that they would be lucky enough for her to go back a second time.

-/-

"Have you eaten, today?" Phil asked suddenly appearing in her line of vision as he stood in front of her, worry etched in his features.

"I'm not hungry" she answered so low he almost didn't hear.

"That was not my question, Mel" he scolded her softly.

"Have you?" she questioned back, visibly avoiding the subject. Skye was the one with her life hanging by a thread, it was her he should be worried about – not that she thought he weren't, but with the girl she adored knocking on death's door, food was the last thought on her mind, then.

"Come on then, let's find something to eat" he said, changing tactics, and extending his hand to her.

"I already said I'm not hungry" she rebutted, still unmoving on her seat, although her hands burned to reach out to him.

"It's an order, May. It'll not do have you fainting around from starvation" he argued not that he really believed it would happen to her, knowing full well how she had trained her body to get through a few days without eating if needed, that, however, didn't mean he would just sit there and watch her torture herself.

Too tired to argue with him, and being won over by the need to have him closer than normal, she took his offered hand and stood letting him lace their fingers as he leaded them towards the cafeteria.

She found them a quiet table in the corner and sat by the window as she awaited him. Sitting on the seat across from her, he placed two turkey sandwiches and two iced teas on the table. He pushed a sandwich and iced tea in her direction before focusing on his food – eyes on her all the time as well.

She eyed the two items warily before finally taking the sandwich and giving it a small bite – she still didn't feel like eating, but he was trying so hard to take care of her (and everyone else) so she might as well just humor him.

"When I called you today, you were already assuming something bad had happened to Skye, even before I told you so." Phil stated in between bites, " How?"

The images that had plagued her sleep that night ran rampant in her mind as she answered him, "I had a nightmare where she died to protect me" she wanted to add it was from Ward but he already had too many things on his head to worry about Grant haunting her dreams.

"Oh" it was all he could say. She didn't need to elaborate for him to know it was quite similar to what went on earlier that day.

"Yeah" she breathed eyes downcast as she tried not to think about how many wrong things could happen.

"Hey, look at me" Phil said as he gently lifted her chin up "She got through the worse already, the monitoring is just a precaution. She's strong, just like you, soon enough she'll be back"

Looking into his eyes, she had never felt more grateful for having him in her life.

"What would I do without you?" she mumbled and if he hadn't been paying close attention to her he would've missed it.

"Yeah, I've been wondering the same these last two weeks" he said attempting to lighten the mood.

"You're an idiot" she said rolling her eyes at him.

"Love you, too, May" he joked but he sensed she was able to see past his attempt to cover the true nature of his feeling towards her and it was impossible not to feel the shift in their relationship right then and there.

Sensing the depths of his words towards her, part of her wanted to simply dismiss it – make it a figment of her imagination - but the part that was incredibly vulnerable and tired of fighting feelings that had won her over a long time and most of all the part that needed reassurance that whatever happened they would still have each other she seized the moment.

And so the specialist asked, voice small as she feared his answer, "Do you, really?"

Caught completely out of guard he struggled with the words, "May I-I-"

"That's okay." She interrupted not wanting to hear anything at the lines of 'I care about you', that wasn't what she wanted, _needed_ , hear from him

Feeling her insecurity and fearing she would shut him out, he rushed to get what he had wanted to say all those years out, as his non mechanic hand went to caress her cheek "I do, Mel. I love you"

Her hand found his as she leaned in his touch and finally told him what she had wished to say all this time, "I love you, too"

-/-

Twenty-four hours after Skye had been out of surgery the nurse in charge of her once again made her way to where the group of agents was situated in the waiting room.

Fitz and Simmons were seated side by side, hands entwined in an attempt to calm the other down. Hunter had his arm around Bobbi's shoulders as both clung to each other in a restless nap. Mack sat in a corner by himself forcing his brain to remember Lola's insides – a way to not go insane as they waited for news on their friend. Phil sat beside Melinda whom had her head laid on his shoulder after having lost a battle to sleep and exhaustion.

Turning to Phil, the nurse spoke quietly as if to not awake the few members who slept, "The medication is starting to wear off, and she's waking up. As soon as she's all checked out and we know everything's okay we'll move her out of ICU and then all of you will be able to see her. I'll let you know when she's all cleared out"

"Thank you, very much" Coulson thanked the woman, and whoever was listening for having heard their prayers.

-/-

A few hours later, after Skye was checked and cleared out she was transferred to a room out of ICU and as soon as the doctor gave them his okay the entire team went to see her.

"Hey guys" she greeted and waved, voice still slightly hoarse, as her friends stood outside the room. As they entered she couldn't be happier to see each one of them, but when she saw Melinda entering just after Coulson she could barely hide her surprise – and May noticed it and, which if the woman was honest with herself, it hurt a little to know the girl had doubted she would be there when she woke up.

"How you're feeling?" Jemma asked, really happy to know her friend was well.

"A little groggy and a bit sore too, but nothing I cannot handle" Skye said her playfulness slowly making its way back.

"You sure you don't want them to check on you again? I can call the nurse" Phil said happy to see the young agent he loved like a daughter well, but still worried about her.

"I'm fine DC, don't worry." Skye reassured him. "Thank you, guys. I know that you probably haven't left this hospital since when I got here, and I really appreciated it, but I'm good now, so can you all do me a favor and go have a shower and decent night of sleep?" the young inhuman asked and the entire team laughed, relieved to see their Skye was okay.

"Skye's right. You guys go rest, I'll stay with her tonight" May said, once again leaving the team – except for Phil – speechless.

At her words and Phil's "It's an order" the team quickly got out of there, leaving only the two senior agents and the girl in the bed.

"You two should rest, as well" the hacker said looking at the people she came to consider as parents.

"We're fine" Phil answered for both of them, aware of the fact that May wouldn't want to leave the girls side so instantly. One look at them told Skye she wouldn't win the argument, so she decided to just humor them.

"Okay, then. But if you don't mind, I'll sleep for a while" the inhuman stated feeling her eyelids heavy with sleep.

"That's fine; the nurse said you'd be feeling sleepy" the director stated.

"Nighty night" the younger woman said before drifting off to sleep

-/-

"What time is it?" Skye asked as she opened her eyes and turned to see Coulson sat in a chair by her bed.

"Ten past three am. You're feeling good?" he asked concern etched on his face.

"Yeah, I'm good" she answered and as she scanned her room her eyes fell upon the third person sat by the other side of her bed, her body contorted in what seemed a rather hurtful position.

Following her line of vision Coulson felt the need to share with Skye a little of what he knew May perhaps wouldn't say.

"I never saw her looking so scared, Skye" he said and quickly had the girl's attention.

"What? Why was she scared?" she asked eyes darting from him to May's sleeping form.

"Because she thought she was going to lose you. We were all afraid, but she was devastated and the last time I saw her like that was in Bahrain. You really mean a lot to her, Skye, to all of us, we all love you, don't forget that" he said softly though seriously and she knew he had referred to what happened months ago in Afterlife.

"I won't" she promised and smiled at him.

"Good, now sleep, angel-eyes" he said a prod smile on his lips as she blissfully went back to sleep, the sweet words of endearment ringing in her ears.

-/-

"Hey" May greeted softly as soon as she saw Skye had woken up.

"Hi" the young girl greeted back, still awestruck at her SO's presence.

"You're feeling okay?" the specialist asked.

Skye nodded before asking, "Where's Coulson?"

"He went to check on the rest the team" Melinda explained.

"So, you, uh, how did you get here?" the younger woman asked and the senior agent almost winced at the other woman's uncertainty.

"Phil called me and told me what had happened. I took the first flight available" the older woman

"You didn't need to." Skye said trying to make it seem it didn't really matter.

"You honestly thought I wouldn't come?" May asked and this time she did not try to hide her disappointment at the young woman's doubts about her.

"I just wasn't expecting. For all I knew you could on the other side of the world having drinks with Thor" the hacker shrugged trying not to make a big deal out of it.

"And I still would have come" the instant answer, however, made the girl's insides twist happily.

"Thank you" the young inhuman thanked her, voice small as that of a shy child, and a short but not uncomfortable silence quickly fell upon them.

"I saw what you did to Quin" Skye said after a while, unable to keep the matter to her own any longer.

"What?" May asked, knowing deep down what the other woman was talking about.

"While I was recovering from the first time, I got bored so I hacked into the system and saw what you did to him." The younger woman explained and she could see in SO's face how much she didn't like remembering it, she didn't either, but she needed to talk about this with her. She had wanted to do so ever since she saw that video footage the first time. "I must say I was scared"

"I'm sorry" Melinda said sheepishly, head bowed as if ashamed.

"Don't be. I wasn't scared of you, I was scared for him. Even though he shot me I feared for his life, you're not someone I'd like to piss off. But that was kind of nice, you know? Seeing you go at him like that, as weird as may sound, it actually made me feel safe and protected" Skye said and she meant every word, and by the look of it the older woman believed her.

"Why didn't you ever talk to me about it?" the senior agent asked, although she had an idea why.

"Didn't quite know how to approach the matter" Skye shrugged and both knew very well it had to with May's cold exterior, and that notion made the woman want to wince at her own personality.

Melinda nodded at the girl's words making clear she understood what she had meant.

"But, thank you, for breaking his nose" the young agent said and that gained her a slight upturn of lips from the other woman.

"Anytime, Skye" the older woman answered, and although she knew it was in response to her attempt to lighten the mood, the girl could feel the truth behind it.

"I'm sorry, May" Skye apologized and Melinda instantly furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"What are you talking about, Skye?"

"I'm sorry I fought you and hurt you-" the girl began but was quickly interrupted.

"There's no need for it, I get it" the older woman said not really wanting to delve in to the matter.

"No, just let me say this, ok?" the hacker said firmly, surprising the other woman.

"Okay" May nodded and quieted herself so Skye could get out of her chest whatever she felt like she needed to say.

"I spent my entire life looking for my family, I learned hacking so I could try and access anything that could give me the slightest hint of where I could find them. When I did find it felt surreal, sure Cal was not what I imagined, but honestly, I didn't feel that disappointed. But Jaying she was so caring and sensible at the beginning. She had been everything I imagined she would and after seeing everyone's horrified expressions at my powers I desperately tried to hang on to the version I've got to see, even if deep down I knew something was up, because I honestly thought that I didn't belong here anymore.

"So when you guys showed up and suddenly things just went to hell I got angry. I mean, I had finally found what I looked for all my life; it wasn't fair to lose it like that. So when you showed up, I ended up letting out on you, someone that had been awesome with me most of the time I've been with you. Hell, you almost killed Quin because of me. What I want to say is that I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't see sooner what had always been obvious: I didn't find my family or my mother when I found Jaying, I found that when DC and you guys found me"

May tried to fight the lump in her throat, this day was becoming too much, and she was finding incredibly hard to keep up with her façade. To know that even though the young woman knew what she did in Bahrain she still not only wanted her around but also felt safe with her was just too overwhelming.

Surprising herself and the woman on the bed she threw her arms around Skye, careful not to hurt the girl, in an attempt to show the young woman everything she could not find the words to express.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, ok?" she whispered in Skye's hair, unable to hold back the tears. "I can't take a third time, Skye" she said as she held the girl's face in her hands.

The young agent nodded, tears in her eyes as well, as she took in her SO's distraught appearance. To know she had worried the older woman so much to make her break down in front of her took her by surprise – even if Coulson had told her how fragile Melinda had been while they awaited for her to be cleared of danger. And though she tried to she could not fight the warmth spreading through her at May's words.

"Promise you won't leave again?" Skye found herself pleading as she buried herself in the older woman's arms.

"I promise, but you have to swear you'll stay out of trouble" the specialist promised kissing the young agent's head.

"Can't promise anything" the hacker said, her usual side way grin making an appearance.

" _Skye"_ the senior agent warned in her best SO voice.

"Fine. I promise I'll try not to get into much trouble" the girl relented at her surrogate mother's glare.

"It'll do" Melinda said sighing.

"This vacation of yours made you a softie" the younger woman teased, happy to know they were once again on good terms.

"I'm not _softie,_ Skye, I was worried about you" May said and at that she felt the girl's hold on her tighten.

"Okay. Love you, too, _mom_ " Skye said and even though she tried to have it come out as a little joke May could see the sentiment behind it, and her heart swelled in her chest at hearing the young woman's words.

The small affectionate smile couldn't be wiped off her face – not that she wanted to – and the words that followed were nothing but the truth.

"I love you, more, angel-eyes"

END!


End file.
